


Possession

by pharmtechgirl71



Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Crazy Rick Grimes, M/M, Rickyl, Rickyl Writers' Group, Songfic Challenge, post-lori's death, prison era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-09
Updated: 2017-11-02
Packaged: 2018-12-25 12:22:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 18,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12035799
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pharmtechgirl71/pseuds/pharmtechgirl71
Summary: Rick is slowly going insane after Lori's death. He asks Daryl to bring him back from the abyss and gives him complete control.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is for the RWG song fic challenge. It's inspired by the song Possession by Sarah McLachlan.

Possession

Daryl hadn’t seen Rick since Carol had been found in the tombs. He was surprised Rick had made an appearance for that, but he figured the man didn’t want the rest of the group to know how far into the abyss he had fallen.

Daryl knew though. He knew Rick better than anyone; better than Lori ever had and better than Rick knew himself. Daryl had been looking out from the darkness his whole life until he met these people he now knew as family and a Sheriff’s deputy who had trusted him enough to make him his brother.

Lori and Rick’s marriage had been over since before the world went to shit, or at least that had been the rumor. She was going to file for divorce, but then Rick had been shot in the line of duty and even she knew that it would be a shitty thing to do to the man when he wasn’t even conscious.

So instead, she took up with his best friend and partner, thinking that Rick would never wake up. The day the dead started walking and Shane had come to take her and Carl out of the city telling her that Rick was dead had shocked her, but not grieved her.

When Rick found them at the quarry, she was shocked again, but happy in the sense that her son was lucky enough to have his father back. Carl had put on a brave face and tried to deal with the news of his father’s death like an adult, but he was only twelve years old and not expected to be a man that soon.

When Rick learned of what had happened between his wife and best friend, he was furious. He realized, in the back of his mind, that Lori’s logic was sound. Shane had told her he was dead and she must have been scared out of her mind for Carl’s safety. Shane was her savior, he protected her and her son and provided for them; she would have felt an obligation to him.

He ultimately blamed Shane more than Lori for what had transpired between them. Shane was his friend, his partner … his brother, and had betrayed him by not only sleeping with his wife and getting her pregnant but by trying to lay a claim on her when Rick had come back from the dead.

Now, both offenders were gone and Rick had a beautiful baby girl as a lifelong reminder of how much he had fucked up his life. A reminder that he could not protect anyone, not even his own family and his guilt and regret seeped into his mind and overtook it.

Daryl had his own guilt and regret to deal with, but Rick had always told him that he didn’t have to suffer that burden. The decisions Merle made had nothing to do with Daryl; the younger brother could not control his older sibling the way the older sibling had been able to control him. Daryl still didn’t believe that, but let Rick think that his wise words and advice had changed his point of view.

Daryl had kept himself busy, arranging watch schedules, assigning jobs, and clearing out what was left of the tombs while Rick took the time to grieve. He was worried about the man, everyone was, but they also realized that Rick’s grief was his own and he had to endure it the way he was meant to.

He and Lori had not gotten along in the beginning. After what she said about Merle when he had been left in Atlanta, Daryl didn’t want to have anything to do with her, but after losing the farm, everyone had been taken down a notch. One night when he had been on watch, she came to him and apologized for her behavior and all the nasty things she had said and implied about him and his brother.

He assumed it was the hormones talking, but he accepted her apology and vowed he would make sure she and the baby stayed safe. He never understood why she would have treated a man like Rick the way she did, but he felt obligated to Rick to take care of the woman regardless of how Rick felt about her.

Her death had hit Daryl hard. Not as hard as it did Rick or Carl; Daryl felt that his grief was directed more toward Rick’s reaction rather than Daryl own personal feelings, but he did what he could to give their leader the time he needed to adjust.

The first time Daryl held Judith, he was glad that he and Lori had buried the hatchet. He fell in love with that tiny angel the moment he looked into her eyes and knowing he was the first person to feed her was a memory he would never lose.

He would play leader as long as it took for Rick to get back on his feet, but knew that the group had Rick’s trust; many of them still saw Daryl as a henchman. He needed to do more for the man; he needed to find a more direct approach to helping him heal.

A week after the tragedy at the prison, Daryl was by himself in the tombs. He had left Lil’ Asskicker with Carol and Beth and decided to go into the depths alone. Hershel told him that Rick had been spending a lot of time there since Lori’s death and if Daryl could find him, he would attempt to bring him back to the group.

It didn’t take too long to find him; Daryl could hear his ramblings from a few hallways over. He crept slowly and silently, crossbow cocked and aimed, just in case, and made his way to Rick. He found the man on the floor, sitting against the wall; his face in his hands and a broken phone next to him.

Daryl stood in the doorway, scrutinizing the scene in front of him. He couldn’t see Rick’s face, and could only assume that it would look drawn and haggard. He waited a few minutes before making his presence known, then lightly knocked on the side of the wall.

“Rick?”

The man didn’t move and the sound of his name, as if he hadn’t heard it. Daryl repeated himself and took one step inside the room.

“Rick? It’s me, Daryl. I came down to see how ya doing. See if there’s anything ya need.”

Daryl walked closer, taking care to be quiet, but not so quiet as to startle the other man. “Rick, please. Your family needs you. Carl, your little girl; they need their dad. Glenn, Maggie, Carol, Hershel? They need their friend back; the man who led them here and gave them this home. They need him back.”

Rick sighed loudly; the first sign Daryl had that the man could hear him and knew he was there. “Do you need me?” he asked without removing his hands from his face.

Daryl crouched down. “Yeah, I do. We all do.”

“Who’s been taking care of things? Is everyone okay?” Rick asked weakly.

“Yeah, I’ve been making the watch schedule and organizing the runs. Glenn helps, and Carol and Beth have been taking care of Asskicker.”

That got Rick’s attention. “Who’s Asskicker?” he asked as he lifted his face to meet Daryl’s.

Rick looked worse that Daryl had imagined. His face was not only tired and haggard but dirty as well. “It’s the nickname I gave your daughter. Naming her is your job, but we had to call her something; I think it fits.”

“She’s not my daughter, Daryl. You know that.” Rick replied monotonously.

“Seeing as how we can’t do no blood tests, I don’t see how anybody could know that for sure. It don’t matter anyway, we’re all in this together and she’s got a family that loves her. She’s beautiful, Rick; looks just like Lori.”

That was the wrong thing to say because Rick jumped up suddenly, almost knocking Daryl on his ass and picked up the phone from the floor.

“She called me. She’s out there somewhere and she’s with a group. They’re going to come get us and takes us somewhere safe.”

Daryl stood up but made no move toward Rick. “We are somewhere safe, Rick. We got sturdy walls and weapons and food. We’ll be good for a while, I think. And we got each other. Rick, please don’t do this. Don’t leave us. Don’t leave me.”

“Y’all don’t need me. You said it yourself, you and Glenn have everything under control. I can’t do this anymore. Every decision I’ve made has led to somebody dying. I won’t let that happen again. I have to get out of here and find Lori.”

As Rick tried to run past Daryl, the hunter’s arm shot out and grabbed him by the shirt. “Lori’s dead, Rick! She don’t need you!” He slung Rick back against the wall and threw the phone across the room. “I have given you time, Rick. We all have. We’ve taken care of your kids, we’ve taken care of each other. Let us take care of you.”

Rick just stared at him. Daryl’s chest was heaving and his face was contorted and red from screaming. He knew Daryl was right. “I can’t do this anymore,” he said as tears fell on his dirty cheeks. “I can’t lead these people; I can’t be responsible for any more death.”

Daryl approached him cautiously. “You’re not responsible for anyone’s death. Lori, T-Dog? That cocksucker Andrew is responsible for them. He’s dead too, ya know. Ya don’t want to lead anymore, that’s fine. We’re safe here, for a while at least. You got us off the farm and kept us from starving and freezing to death in the winter. You found this place for us and we’re safe because of you.”

Rick looked at him confused. “You did just as much as I did, Daryl. If you hadn’t spent days hunting in the freezing cold, we wouldn’t have eaten. You gave up your own food for Lori and the baby. You took care of my family when I couldn’t be bothered to do it. You were with me the day we found the prison. You’ve been beside me the whole time; a better brother than Shane ever was.”

“Brothers take care of each other. We’ve each lost one and now we’re all we got. You’re all I got and I want to take this for you. Tell me what you need, Rick. I’ll do anything you want me to.”

“I don’t have control over anything anymore. I couldn’t protect the group, my wife. I don’t feel grounded anymore. I feel like I’m not even here like I’m looking down on all this and it’s not really happening to me.”

“So, you want me to take over, take control of the group?”

“I want you to take control of me, Daryl. I want you to bring me back.”

Daryl took another step toward Rick. “I need you to be more specific. It’s been a long time since I did anything like this and I need to know that you’re gonna be okay with whatever I do.”

“I need to know that I’m not crazy. I need to know that my family still needs me. I need to know what and who I am, and I need you to show me. I need you to bring me back to the real world, Daryl. Only you can do that.”

That didn’t clear things up in Daryl’s mind, but he advanced further into Rick’s space. “I’ll do whatever you need me to. You wanna feel whole again? You want me to make you feel whole? I can do that, but I gotta tell you, if I do this, if we do this, there’s no going back. You are gonna belong to me, Rick. You’re gonna be mine and you don’t make a decision without my approval. Do you understand?”

Rick looked up at Daryl and saw the stone-cold expression in his eyes. He gazed into the eyes of the man who had protected his wife and children, the man who had saved his life and had his back more often than Shane ever had. 

“Tell me what to do, Daryl.”

Daryl hesitantly cupped Rick’s face in his hands and looked him dead in the eyes. He could see how broken Rick was inside; he knew that feeling all too well. He had felt it growing up, following Merle around, and when he the only thing he had left of the man was his hand. He was strong enough to survive on his own, but Rick was not.

“Just do what I say. If it gets to be too much or you don’t like it, tell me and I’ll stop.”

Rick nodded his head.

“No, Rick. I need ya to say the words. I don’t want to hurt you; that’s not what this is about.”

“I’ll tell you to stop if I need you to. Now, please, just do it.”

Daryl rested his cheek against Rick’s face and reached down to run his palm over the man’s growing bulge. Squeezing lightly, his body froze when Rick gasped in his ear. 

Daryl had often thought of being with Rick like this. Not often enough that he entertained hopes of it ever happening, but enough that he knew what he would do for the man. He knew Rick better than he knew himself and was sure he could give him what he needed.

Daryl looked at Rick again before his hands went to the waistband of his pants. He unbuckled Rick’s belt and pulled down his zipper before taking another deep breath and flipping him around. Daryl used his own body to push Rick’s chest against the cold, cement wall.

Reaching around, Daryl ran a hand down Rick’s stomach and inside his pants. He buried his face in Rick’s back and pumped the man’s cock as well as he could in the confined space. 

Exasperated by the constriction, he took a step back and pulled Rick’s pants down to his knees, then resumed pumping his cock. He ground his still confined cock against Rick’s bare ass and groaned in sync with the man plastered to his chest. 

When it got to be too much for him, Daryl took his hands off Rick and removed his belt. The pants were at least one size too big and fell to the floor with a thud. His hands quickly returned to Rick’s body, this time, however, he wedged his hard dick between Rick’s ass cheeks. 

Daryl wrapped his free hand around Rick’s neck and squeezed lightly; he whispered in his ear. “Gonna make you mine, Rick. You're gonna do what I tell ya to; your gonna give it all to me. I’m gonna take care of ya; I’m gonna take the pain away.”

Daryl took his hand off Rick’s cock and grabbed his own. Spitting on it, liberally, he nudged the head against Rick’s hole and breathed heavily into his ear. “Take a deep breath and close your eyes.”

As Rick inhaled, Daryl pushed inside him. He immediately regretted not stretching the man out. The tightness was insufferable; he moved to pull out until Rick stopped him.

“Don’t Daryl, please. Just keep going,” Rick whined.

“Told ya this ain’t about pain, Rick. Shoulda prepped you first.”

“Don’t give a fuck. Need it like this, please, Daryl.”

Daryl growled and continued to push inside until he reached his limit. He remained still, catching his breath and letting Rick adjust. When his instinct told him to move, he did. 

He was so incredibly aroused it was hard to control his movements. He thrust in and out in a steady rhythm, but it wasn’t enough. Rick’s words ran through his mind; the man wanted him to take control, so Daryl took it.

He snapped his hips sharply and placed Rick’s palms on the cement wall. “Who do you belong to, Rick?”

“You, Daryl,” he replied breathlessly.

“I own you; you’re gonna be a good boy for me and obey, aren’t you, Rick,” Daryl growled in his ear.

“Yes, Daryl. I belong to you; I’ll do anything you say.”

“Everything I say, Rick. Every fucking thing I say. Don’t care what it is. Don’t care where we are. I tell you to bend over, you do it. I tell you to bring me my damn dinner, you do it. Do you understand?”

“Yes, Daryl! Oh god!” Rick whined as his body began to shake.

Daryl kissed Rick’s neck. “You gonna cum, Rick? You gonna cum without me touching you?”

“Yes! I’m gonna cum, Daryl. God!”

With lightning speed, Daryl pulled out and turned Rick around and pushed him to his knees. “Suck my dick. If you wanna cum, do it yourself.”

He pushed his cock past Rick’s lips and started fucking his mouth as Rick jerked himself. Daryl twisted his fingers through the man’s curls and thrust himself down Rick’s throat. 

Hearing the other man gag and choke and feeling the wet heat of Rick’s mouth was something Daryl hadn’t known since before the world went to shit. He didn’t think he would ever experience it again and it felt wonderful. He could feel the telltale pull at the base of his stomach and his ball drew up suddenly.

Daryl held Rick’s head still against him as he erupted down the man’s throat. Rick was choking on his cum and trying to move away, but Daryl held him with a vice grip.

The hand Rick pumped himself with stuttered,but soon recovered and he came a few short minutes after Daryl. When Daryl released his grasp on Rick, he pulled him up to standing.

“How do you feel now, Rick?”

“I feel . . . better; calm, like I’m fucking floating,” he replied.

Daryl held the man’s face in his hands. “Good. Now get dressed. You got a daughter to take care of and people to check on. These people need to see that you’re back, and you will be, but I’m gonna be running things from now on. You follow my rules and decisions. They don’t have to know it ain’t you.”

Daryl kissed him before tucking himself back in and straightening his clothes. Before going back to C block, Rick stopped at the stairwell. “I can’t promise that it won’t happen again; that I won’t lose my shit.”

“I already told you, I’m in charge now. You asked me to take control and that’s what I’m gonna do. I’m gonna control this group through you and I’m gonna control you. I’ll keep you grounded best I can, but I’m always gonna be behind you. You belong to me and I take care of what’s mine.”


	2. Chapter Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, I've been convinced to continue this one shot into a multi chapter. Honestly, it didn't take much. There is no plan, no outline and no posting schedule. I'm flying by the seat of my ass here, so bear with me and leave me love.

Chapter Two

Their entire family was in the dining area when Rick and Daryl made it back upstairs. Everyone was quiet as Rick made his way to Beth, who was holding Judith. The young girl handed the child over to her father without question. 

The smile on Rick’s face was contagious; as Daryl looked around the room he saw the relief in everyone’s eyes knowing that Rick was coming back to them. He knew that they all knew Rick still had a journey ahead of him, but every person in that room was there to support their leader.

“Where’s Maggie and Glenn?” Rick asked as he finally took his eyes off the baby in his arms and took stock of what was around him.

“They went on a run for baby formula, diapers, whatever they could find. They left a few hours ago and should be back soon,” Hershel reported.

Rick looked at Daryl, still smiling and holding his little girl. “She got a name yet?” He asked his son.

“No,” the boy answered. “Daryl’s been calling her Asskicker, though.”

Rick laughed. “Yeah, so I’ve heard. I guess it works as good as anything else for now.” Rick sighed loudly and enjoyed the moment of being with his family again. “What’s say we take this little girl outside for some fresh air.”

Rick carried the baby outside as Daryl, Carl, and Hershel followed. His eyes hurt and he squinted against the bright sunlight. He hadn’t felt the wind or seen the sun since the attack on the prison, and he would have to adjust to the real world again.

The three men slowly made their way down to the gate; Rick walking ahead of them while Daryl stayed back with Hershel to make sure the old man didn’t trip or fall.

Rick focused on the walkers hanging on the outer fences. There weren’t many, of which he was grateful, but there was one that looked very curious.

She had bright eyes, expressive features, and a grocery basket filled with formula and baby food. Rick turned his head toward Daryl and Hershel, and yelled for them to join him.

“Is there a problem, Rick?” Hershel asked.

“Look at the fences,” he said calmly. “Do y’all see what I see?”

The two other men scanned the crowd of walkers trying to find a way inside and noticed a young, black woman who didn’t look dead.

“Wonder why they ain’t chowing down on ‘er?” Daryl asked warily.

“I don’t know,” Hershel answered, “but we need to get her inside. You see what’s in that basket she’s holding, Rick. How would she know to bring baby food here?”

“You think this means Maggie and Glenn are in trouble?” Rick asked without really needing an answer.

“I’ll hold ‘em back,” Daryl offered. “Rick, you get her and bring her inside.”

Obeying Daryl’s command, Rick handed the baby to Hershel and followed Daryl to the gate. The woman locked eyes with both men and moved her arm to jingle the cans of food and formula to make sure they were seen. The men nodded, took their knives out of the sheathes, and went to carefully open the gate. 

Daryl lunged as soon as there was enough space for him to fit through and began stabbing walkers in the head. As soon as he had a clear path, Rick ran out and grabbed the woman.

When he got close enough, he noticed that her leg was bleeding and hesitated getting closer. He looked around and saw Daryl fighting and killing, and despite his own fear, he ran the rest of the way to the woman and scooped her up in his arms.

“Are you bit?” he asked her as he ran back toward the gate.

“Shot,” was her only answer as they crossed the threshold into the prison grounds. Daryl flew in behind them and locked the gate as quickly as he could. He then ran ahead of them to open the gate to the main courtyard.

Hershel and the baby were standing at the inner gate when Daryl unlocked it and allowed Rick and the woman to pass through before following them. 

“Take her to the infirmary, Rick. I’ll be right behind you,” the old man yelled as Rick disappeared into the building. 

Handing the girl to Daryl, he continued after Rick and met him inside. “She bit?” the vet asked as he came into the room. 

“She said she was shot; looks like the thigh.”

“Alright, you boys take that little girl and find something to do. I’ll come find you when I’m done, and tell Bethie I’m gonna need her help.”

Rick ran out of the room and down the hall. He was on autopilot and wasn’t paying attention to where he was going until he ran into Daryl and the baby.

“Rick!” Daryl said aggressively. “Where in the hell are you going?”

“Hershel needs Beth to help him.”

“Take her,” Daryl said as he handed the baby to Rick. “Sit down somewhere; I’m gonna get Beth. Do not move; do not go anywhere.”

A few minutes later, Daryl returned with the young girl and she ran into the infirmary to help her dad. Standing at the door watching, Daryl took a step inside. “Gonna need that sword,” he said threatenly.

The woman pulled it over her head and handed it over without an argument, of which Daryl was glad. She had brought food for the baby, and he was grateful for that. 

Daryl found Rick sitting on the floor against the wall across from the room where the mysterious woman was being cared for.

“Are you with me, Rick?” the hunter asked as he knelt next to Rick and the baby.

Rick looked at him. He wasn’t crazed, or losing his mind; Rick was back in protective mode. He had just brought a complete stranger into his home, with his children and his family. A complete stranger who carried a goddamn katana.

“You stink like a pile of shit,” Daryl commented. “I’m gonna see if Carol can look after her for a while; you take a damn shower. I’ll be there shortly.”

Daryl stood and went out to find Carol while Rick went to his cell to grab a towel and a fresh change of clothes. He took his time walking to the showers. For the first time since it happened, he was replaying his experience with Daryl in his head.

He had never been fucked before, and certainly never had had any sort of physical experience with another man, but he never questioned it, not once. He gave himself to Daryl without a thought.

The difference between how he had felt before and after Daryl, should have a more complicated and psychological explanation, but it didn’t. He was losing his mind, felt like he was drifting away, and the he wasn’t.

That was the moment Rick realized that he had never wanted to lead these people, not really. He had been pushed into that role by Lori. Shane had it, until Rick came back and it was laid in his lap, but he had never wanted it.

The proposition Daryl offered him was perfect. Daryl would run things behind the scenes, so to speak, and Rick would be the figurehead. No one had to know the truth; Rick had always thought Daryl made better decisions anyway and he could get used to being under Dary’s control.

Rick had no sooner turned the water on in the shower stall than Daryl came through the door with his own towel and change of clothes. 

“I can tell you’re worried about the last samuri we brought in; I am too, but she’s injured. She ain’t gonna be able to do anything to us and as soon as Hershel says she’s gonna live, we’ll interrogate her and decide what to do with her. This ain’t for you to worry about; it’s on me now.”

Rick thought it best not to speak at the moment, that was the whole point of giving Daryl the control, right? So he wouldn’t have to say anything anymore.

Daryl sauntered over and stood in front of Rick. “Take off your clothes,” he said and he leaned into the stall and checked the water temperature. Rick obeyed and stood still waiting for Daryl’s next order.

The hunter ogled Rick’s naked body as he removed his own clothes. Taking a step forward, he place his hand on Rick’s shoulder and moved it up and down the man’s arm.

“Real proud of ya, Rick. Ya did good listening to me, doing what I told ya; handled things real well. I’m gonna take care of ya now; want ta show ya how proud I am of ya.”

Daryl guided Rick into the stall and under the spray. As the water poured down on them both, Daryl took Rick’s mouth forcefully and passionately. Their hands moved on each other until Daryl pushed Rick against the shower wall.

Pulling away from Rick, Daryl reached over and took a bottle of shower gel and a washcloth that sat in the corner of the stall. Handing it to Rick, Daryl stepped further away. “Get me good and clean, then I’ll do you.”

Rick took the items from Daryl and lathered the cloth. He started with Daryl’s back, rubbing circles onto the man’s skin. He didn’t just want to a good job; he wanted to please Daryl. 

From the sounds Daryl was making, Rick was doing an excellent job. The moans, groans, and sighs that came from the man echoed throughout the shower room.

Rick moved Daryl’s arms to clean them, then washed his sides and moved down to his ass. Rick kneaded Daryl's asscheeks as he scrubbed them clean and briefly wondered what the man’s hole tasted like.

Rick quickly finished up with Daryl's legs, then stood so the man could turn around. When he did, Rick was hypnotized by Daryl's dark, lust filled eyes; the beautiful blue eclipsed by ferel need.

Without a word, Daryl raised his arms so Rick could finish washing his body. Rick quickly re-wet the cloth and added more soap, then began his task again, lingering on the man’s biceps and chest.

Rick couldn't look at Daryl's face; if he did, he wouldn't be able to finish his job, so he couldn't see the sly, predatory grin that enveloped the man’s features.

When Daryl grew tired of Rick’s preoccupation with his upper body, he gently pushed the man to his knees. Rick was now eye-level with Daryl’s raging hard cock. His breath hitched when he realized how close to his lips it was, and remembered what it had tasted like mere hours ago.

Rick gently moved the soapy cloth up and down Daryl’s length, and looked up to see the other man’s head tilted back and his mouth gaping open.

Rick hadn't realized until that moment how hard he was and was more than eager for the washing to be over.

Just then, Daryl looked down at him. Rick’s hand had stopped moving, but he had been so distracted that he hadn’t noticed.

“Is something wrong?” Daryl asked.

Rick snapped out of his trance and realized he had stopped washing Daryl's dick.

“I'm sorry. You just look so beautiful like that.” Rick replied quietly.

“You look just as beautiful on your knees, Rick. Stand up, I think it's time you got your reward.”

Rick stood facing Daryl, and the man kissed him again. Before he knew it, Rick’s face was shoved against the opposite wall and his legs were kicked apart.

“Stick that sweet ass out for me sweetheart. I'm gonna fuck you brainless,” Daryl growled into Rick’s ear. 

Rick shivered but did exactly as he was told. Daryl placed the man’s palms against the wall like he had done earlier in the day. While running his hands down Rick’s body, Daryl reached back and took the bottle of shower gel in his hand. He squeezed some down Rick’s ass crack and some on his own fingers, determined not to make the same mistake twice. 

While one hand skimmed the skin of Rick’s back, Daryl used the fingers of the other to stretch his hole. Now, Rick began to moan and grind his ass onto Daryl’s fingers and Daryl praised and encouraged him.

Sensing that Rick had enough of the teasing, Daryl removed his fingers with a wet squelch and felt Rick’s body deflate at the emptiness.

“Now, now sweetheart,” Daryl whispered in his ear. “I got something bigger and better for you. Are you ready for my hard cock?”

“Yes,” Rick hissed through his teeth.

Daryl slipped the head of his cock between Rick’s cheeks, and moved his hips forward slowly.

“Beg for my cock, Rick. Beg me to fuck you.”

“Please, Daryl. I need to feel it. I need you to fill me up and fuck me hard. Please,” the man begged as he was told to do.

Daryl pushed his cock inside Rick and, with his arms around the man’s chest, felt Rick’s body shudder and his chest expand with short, stuttered breaths. 

“You’re doing so good, Rick. So proud of ya,” Daryl said as he continued to push himself as far as he could go. “Tell me how it feels have my dick inside you.”

“So big, so thick, Daryl. God, I can feel it stretching me out, going deeper and deeper. It feels so fucking good.” The words sputtered out of Rick’s mouth like an engine that wouldn’t start.

Daryl pulled out carefully and began to thrust his hips in a steady rhythm, while Rick dug his nails into the cement wall begging him to go deeper.

Rick bent down further allowing Daryl to go deeper and graze his prostate. When he felt the head of Daryl’s cock nudge that spot inside him he cried out and begged the other man to do it again. 

“Ya gonna cum, Rick?” Daryl breathed heavily in his ear.

“Yes, gonna cum, Daryl. Please let me cum.”

Daryl reached around and took Rick’s cock in his hand, squeezing it at the base. “Uh uh, I cum first, sweetheart. I’ll tell you when it’s your turn.”

Rick groaned, but Daryl knew he would be cumming very soon and Rick wouldn’t have to wait too long.

He held a tight grip on Rick’s dick while he continued to move in and out of him. His momentum increased and both men were breathless; despite the water having gone cold, they were dripping with sweat.

Daryl forced Rick’s body fully against the concrete wall without mercy as he spilled inside him, panting and moaning in his ear. When Daryl’s body had emptied itself inside Rick, he quickly stood back and turned the man around to face him.  
With a move that surprised them both, Daryl fell to his knees and wrapped his lips around Rick’s cock. He was still blissed out from his own orgasm and Rick could feel it. Daryl sucked and licked like he was in a trance and Rick came down his throat like a volcano.

Daryl licked every drop from Rick’s cock before he stood and turned off the water. When he turned back to look at the man, Rick’s eyes were closed and his chest was heaving. Daryl stroked his cheek with his thumb.

“I didn’t expect you to do that,” Rick said, trying to catch his breath.

“Me neither, to be honest. Just had this urge to taste you; your mine and I can do whatever I want. It won’t always happen, but I’m real proud that ya kept your cool with our new visitor. Let’s get dressed and see how she’s doing?”


	3. Chapter Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone who is reading this accidental story. Thanks for all the kudos and comments; it's what drove me to continue this.

Chapter Three

Rick and Daryl walked to the infirmary together. Rick was feeling nervous again regarding the strange woman they had brought in, but Daryl emit enough confidence and serenity to keep him from flipping out.

They caught Hershel walking down the corridor and the old man stopped to give them an update. “I got the bullet out clean; she didn’t suffer any muscle or nerve damage, so she’ll be just fine. I did give her some antibiotics and something to help her sleep, though. I wanna keep her here until she’s healed enough that she won’t be too vulnerable out there.”

“Did she tell you anything? Who is she? Where did she come from? Where did she get all that baby food?” Rick asked determinedly.

“Says her name is Michonne and that she barely escaped from a town called Woodbury; the guy in charge there is a madman. She got shot trying to escape and when she got passed the tree line, saw a young couple scavenging from a store. The man that was chasing her knew the couple and took them back to Woodbury.”

“Did she tell you where this town is? How the hell we get there?” Daryl asked, aggravated.

“No, you’ll have to wait till she wakes up. Rick, if this madman has my daughter and Glenn, I trust y’all be bringing them home.”

“You know we will, Hershel,” Daryl answered. “As soon as she wakes up, you find us; we’ll get the information from her and go in. We’ll get them back and take care of that madman.”

Hershel patted both men on the back. “I know you boys will. Just be sure and come back yourselves. Now that we got you back, Rick, we can’t lose you again.”

Hershel continued down the corridor toward his cell leaving Rick and Daryl alone. “We can’t do anything until she’s awake, Rick. Why don’t you go lay down and rest for a while; I think ya need it.”

“Will you come with me?” Rick asked.

“Naw, I got something I gotta do. I’ll check on Asskicker and come get you when Samurai wakes up, okay?”

Rick sadly nodded his head and turned from the hunter heading to his own cell.

******************************************************************************************************************************************************

Daryl found Carol and the baby outside in the courtyard and stopped to check on them both.

“Who is she, Daryl? That woman you and Rick brought in; can we trust her?” Carol asked as she handed the little girl to Daryl to hold.

Asskicker settled into Daryl’s arms and smiled up at him, grabbing onto the edges of his leather vest for security. “Hershel was able to get some information out of her. She came from a place called Woodbury; says the guy who runs things is crazy. She got shot trying to escape and the guy who shot her took Glenn and Maggie.”

“You’re gonna bring them back, aren’t you?” She asked.

“Of course, we are. Hershel gave her something to sleep; when she’s awake, Rick and I are gonna find out where this place is, find out about her. Not sure if we can trust her, ya know?”

“Daryl, she brought food for the baby. She didn’t have to do that. She could have just walked past it and went on her way. If she hadn’t shown up with all that food, this little girl wouldn’t be sleeping with a full stomach.”

“I know. That’s why we got to find out what her story is. If this guy is real and as bad as she says he is, we’re gonna hafta take out the threat. I ain’t gonna let nobody come in here and take this place from us, or her,” he said staring down at the baby in his arms.

Taking the baby from Daryl, Carol stood up. “Rick will think of something. He worked hard to get us here, he won’t give it up easily.”

******************************************************************************************************************************************************

The sun had just slipped under the horizon when Daryl found Rick sleeping in his cell. Kneeling down, he shook the man lightly, trying to wake him without scaring him. 

“Rick, come on man, she’s awake. We gotta go talk to her.” Daryl said in a low voice to not startle the man. 

Rick opened his eyes and mumbled something Daryl couldn’t understand, then turned to face him. “What time is it?” he asked.

“Sun just set, I’d say it’s around eight or so. You missed dinner too. Let’s go talk to her and then we’ll get you something to eat and talk about what we’re gonna do.”

Hershel was in the infirmary when the two men arrived. He was checking the woman’s vitals and declared her to be healthy, except for the hole in her thigh.

Rick couldn’t stop looking at her. She didn’t look very trustworthy, but he had no proof that she wasn’t. He had never seen a woman like her before. The dreadlocks combined with the katana she had carried on her back made her suspicious to him. She looked like a pirate he had seen in a movie once.

“So, she’s gonna live?” Daryl asked as he and Rick entered the room.

“Yep, she’s gonna be just fine. I recommend she not walk around on it for a few days. I told her we could find a cell for her to stay in while she’s here. I’ll help Carol set something up for her tomorrow.” 

“Thanks, Hershel,” Rick said as the man gathered his crutches and left the room. He pulled the door closed behind him and settled into a chair in the corner.

Daryl sat on the edge of the desk with his arms crossed and looked the woman over. “Where in the hell is my katana?” she asked suspiciously.

“It’s safe,” Daryl assured her. “You’ll get it back when you leave. You need to tell us about this Woodbury place, and the shithead who’s running it.”

“I have a friend who’s still there. She wanted to stay because she was tired of running. This place is like the old times; they have electricity, running water, and Bar-b-ques on Sunday. She missed that and wanted it back, so she stayed.”

“We have a generator and running water, walls and fences,” Daryl said confidently. “What makes Woodbury better than this place?”

“It’s fucking small town America. It’s a goddamn town square. They have walls and lookouts, and the people have been conned into thinking they're safe. Do you have hot water here? Because they have it in Woodbury. This Governor has made these people feel safe, he’s made them think that their lives can go back to the way they were. He’s not what they think he is. He keeps dead ones for entertainment.”

“What kind of entertainment?” Rick asked.

“He puts them in a fighting ring with the living and watches it for fun. It’s community bonding.”

“Where is this place?” Daryl asked her as he watched Rick. The man was getting antsy and overwhelmed by what the woman was telling them. 

“East,” she replied. “Maybe thirty miles.”

“You walked thirty damn miles with a bullet in your leg?” Daryl asked incredulously.

The woman looked at him like he had two heads. “I took a rest every now and then, asshole.”

Rick stood from his chair and went to stand next to Daryl at the desk. “You want us to believe that you walked thirty miles with a bullet in your leg, just to bring us baby food?” he asked.

“I’m not trying to get you to believe anything; believe what you want. I’m telling you what happened. I assumed that since there was baby food that meant there was a baby that needed it. I figured it was their baby, and if it was, there had to be somebody taking care of it that would need to know they weren’t coming back.”

Daryl moved away from the desk and looked the woman up and down. “You eat anything yet?”

“The girl brought me stew and a can of peas,” she answered.

“Get some sleep then, we’ll come by in the morning and talk some more. I’ll tell Beth to come check on ya; if ya need anything she’s the one that can help,” he said to her and cocked his head letting Rick know it was time to leave.

On their way to the cafeteria, Rick nudged Daryl’s shoulder. “Do you think she’s telling the truth? Can we trust her?”

Daryl shrugged his shoulders. “I think she’s telling the truth, as far as she thinks it’s the truth, but I don’t know if we can trust her just yet. We’ll get her to tell us where this place is and once we confirm it’s real, we’ll make a plan to go in, bring everybody home.”

No one was in the cafeteria when they got there, so Daryl told Rick to have a seat. The hunter went into the kitchen and filled a bowl with venison stew and grabbed a can of mixed fruit and a bottle of water. 

“Eat up,” he told Rick. “When you’re done, we’re gonna take a walk around the perimeter.”

Rick nodded and dug into his food. He hadn’t eaten since he came up from the tombs and his sense of time was off so he wasn’t sure when the last time he ate actually was.

The stew and fruit were gone in fifteen minutes and Daryl chided Rick on eating too fast, making the man promise to take at least thirty minutes to finish a meal from then on. Rick agreed embarrassingly and threw the empty can in the trash can before washing his dish in the sink.

Neither man spoke until they were outside and undercover of darkness. Rick didn’t know what to say; he didn’t know if Daryl wanted to talk about the woman in the infirmary or not, so he let Daryl choose the topic of conversation. 

“Are you doing okay?” Daryl finally spoke.

“Yeah, I think so; thanks to you. I would have flipped out today if you hadn’t been here with me.”

“I’ve always been here with ya, Rick.”

“I know ya have, but things are different now, aren’t they?”

Daryl hummed and took a moment to consider his words. “Yeah, I guess they are, between us. These people ain’t gonna know that though; told ya, this is about you and bringing you back. I know, that you know, I can help you; you're gonna let me.”

“I'll do whatever you tell me to Daryl,” Rick said and sighed. “I never had to deal with this before and even though I didn't want it, I didn't think it would be this hard.”

Daryl stopped in his tracks and put his hand on Rick’s shoulder. “Surviving ain't that hard; I've been doing that my whole life. Having people look up to ya, expecting things from ya? That's what's hard. Ain't nobody trust me or look to me for nothing until you; it means a lot, Rick. Least I can do is help you the only way I know how.”

“By fucking me through a wall?” Rick responded with a smirk.

“If that's what it takes to get you focused, but what I told you was that I was gonna take care of you. That means more than just a rough fuck up against a wall. I mean to take care of you; that means being there when you need me, to do whatever you need. That includes making decisions, making sure everyone is safe, and fucking you into submission when you get out of control.”

Rick wanted Daryl to kiss him, like he had in the shower stall, but was afraid to ask for it. Maybe that was a reward only type thing.

Rick was looking at him like he wanted to say something but was afraid. “You don't have to have permission to speak; you're free to say or ask me anything,” Daryl told him.

“Would you stay with me tonight?” He asked hesitantly.

Daryl exhaled sharply. “Yeah, Rick, if that’s what you need, but only until you fall asleep. I don't want anyone catching us in the morning.”

“Thank you,” Rick said. 

He and Daryl finished their patrol, then went back inside the prison. Daryl followed the man to his cell, then helped him get undressed and under the sheets. Daryl climbed in behind him fully clothed, save for his boots and ever-present crossbow. When he felt Rick fall into full-on sleep, he got back up, grabbed his things and went to his perch.


	4. Chapter Four

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Getting ready for Woodbury

Chapter Four

Rick woke up alone the next morning but wasn’t surprised. He was a little disappointed, but certainly not surprised. Getting out of bed, he put on the clothes that were still laying on the floor. Peeking out the door of his cell, he saw Daryl’s perch unoccupied and assumed the man had already gone down for breakfast. 

He walked slowly down to the cafeteria, his mind occupied by the conversation he and Daryl had at the fences. He knew Daryl inside and out. He knew that the man had a hard exterior; rough, surly, and argumentative on the outside, but he had witnessed the compassion Daryl had shown while searching for Sophia and taking care of his own pregnant wife while on the road.

That compassion was what fueled Daryl’s agreement to take care of Rick. It was what drove him to take over behind the scenes and give Rick time to heal. He saw it last night when Daryl agreed to lay with him until he fell asleep and hoped that as things got better for their family, Daryl would be willing to show more affection toward him.

The dining hall was bustling this early in the morning. Carol and Beth were dishing out oatmeal, fruit, and bottles of water. Rick was happy to see his son feeding his sister and talking animatedly to Daryl who looked up at him with a blank expression before returning to his food.

Rick took his breakfast and sat at the table across from Daryl and next to his son and daughter. “How is she this morning?” he asked Carl.

“Carol said she was up all night; she’s not sick or anything, just hungry I guess.”

“Yeah, babies are like that,” Rick replied and ruffled Carl’s hair. Going back to his food, he felt the tension radiating from the man across from him. He didn’t know if Daryl was angry at him or stressed about the situation with Michonne, and he was afraid to bother the man about it.

Without a word, Daryl rose from his seat and took his bowl and bottle to the kitchen. Rick tried to ignore the aggravation that was rising in him, but Daryl was fucked in the head if he thought ignoring Rick was going to keep him calm.

About that time, Daryl came back to the table and took Asskicker from Carl. He gave her a kiss on the forehead and a big smile before returning her to her brother. “Come to the infirmary when you're finished,” he said in Rick’s general direction, then stomped off.

******************************************************************************************************************************************************

Rick’s anxiety was starting to peak as he walked down the corridor to the infirmary. He was willing to admit to himself that angry Daryl scared him, but also aroused him a little.

When he turned the corner, he saw Daryl standing against the wall next to the open door of the infirmary; a katana hanging from his fingers.

“I thought she wasn’t gonna get it back until she left?” Rick asked.

“Thought it might be motivation to come clean; tell us all the shit she hasn’t yet. Besides, I think we take her with us, that way we can keep an eye on her and make sure she don’t lead us into a trap.”

Rick took a deep breath. “Good idea. She could be working for this Governor. He’s got two of ours, we have one of his; if she’s valuable, he’ll work with us.” Daryl hummed and nodded his head, then lead the way into the infirmary. 

Michonne eyed the katana hanging from the hunter’s hand and looked at him suspiciously. “Does this mean I get to leave now?”

“No,” he answered curtly. “You tell us everything we need to know, no bullshit, and you can have it back. You’ll need it if you’re coming with us.”

“Coming with you? You trust me all of a sudden?”

“Nope. I figure if you’re with us, our people here are safe. I figure, can't trust any map you’d draw for us; could be leading us right into a trap. I figure we trade you for Glenn and Maggie, everyone goes home happy. Besides, you wanna get your friend out of there too, right?”

“I’m not a spy,” the woman said. “I’ll go with you. There’s a way inside from the back. The wall isn’t as sturdy and they don’t keep a lookout there. I don’t know where your friends are being held, but I know the lay of the town. There are certain buildings I suspect they could be in.”

“Alright, you’ll get the sword back when we get to where we’re going. Rick and I are gonna pack some supplies and get a car. You stay here and one of us’ll come get ya when we’re ready.”

Both men left the room and Rick followed Daryl down the corridor to D block. “We’re taking Oscar with us. Think we need some numbers just in case this really is a trap. He’s the only other person I trust besides Glenn and he ain’t here.”

The inmate was more than eager to go with the two men and finally prove without a shadow of a doubt that he could be trusted. Oscar and Daryl loaded up the trunk of the car; Daryl sat the katana in alongside their packs, then went to find Rick.

The man in question was sitting on the bottom bunk in his cell when Daryl found him. “Hey, Rick, you alright?”

The floor held Rick’s full attention, but he answered Daryl’s question. “I think so. I want Maggie and Glenn back and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to bring them home. I don’t like going in without information though. I know she told us about that backway in, but we don’t know if there’s shit she ain’t telling us. It could still be a trap.”

Daryl sat next to Rick on the bed and put his hand on the man’s thigh. “Need you to relax, man; need you to stay focused.” He slapped Rick’s thigh then stood up. “Come with me,” he said then left the cell.

Rick ran to catch up with him. He didn’t know where Daryl was taking him but followed the man he now saw as the leader of this group without question. 

They walked through the twists and turns of the prison until they came to a door that led out the back of the building. This section of the prison was one they had cleared, but not explored as useable space.

The door opened to a small, grassy area Rick had never seen before. Daryl pushed Rick against the outer wall and began pacing back and forth in front of him.

“You gotta keep your cool, Rick. I’m not going in there, risking my life, Oscar’s, Glenn and Maggie’s, if you're not gonna be focused. I can tell you’re nervous, hell, I am too, but you’re the one they’re looking to; you’re the one they’re following, not me. Can you promise me you ain’t gonna flip the fuck out if things go to shit?”

Rick looked down at the ground and shook his head; he couldn’t promise shit. “I don’t know, Daryl.” 

The hunter moved like lightning and was chest to chest with Rick in the blink of an eye. “You better fucking know.” He gripped Rick’s curls and pulled his head back. “I’m gonna fucking take care of that shit. Take off your pants.”

Rick toed off his boots and had his pants on the ground before Daryl could walk away. Grabbing him by his curls once again, the hunter dragged him to a picnic bench a few feet away. He took off his leather vest and laid it out on the table, then directed Rick to sit on the edge. 

Daryl pushed Rick’s upper body onto the vest that covered the splintered wood of the table, then took the red rag from his back pocket before unhitching his pants and letting them fall to the ground. Stepping out of his pants, he pulled Rick’s legs up to his shoulders.

Reaching down, he stuffed the red rag in Rick’s mouth and leaned down to his ear. “Gonna fuck your ass brainless, so you won’t have to think about what we’re doing. Don’t want you fucking this up.”

He didn’t prepare Rick, only spit on his own dick and pushed inside in one thrust. Daryl’s movements started like a whirlwind; he pounded into Rick like a jackhammer.

The man’s eyes rolled to the back of his head and his knuckles turned white as he gripped the sides of the table. He wanted to scream Daryl’s name to the sky, but the damn rag prevented that. 

Daryl could sense that Rick was overwhelmed by what was happening and he got off on it. His thrusts were merciless and seeing Rick writhing below him made him harder.

“You wanna scream, don’t ya,” Daryl said with a heavy breath. “Can’t have that, Rick; you wouldn’t want to draw attention to yourself, would you? Wouldn’t want Carol, or Hershel, or Carl to wander back here and find out how pathetic you are? Wouldn’t want them to know you're my bitch, would you?”

Rick was hard and leaking and fucking desperate to cum. His ass was raw and sore and he hated the fact that he loved being fucked like this. He couldn’t release his grip on the table; it was keeping him steady. He needed to touch himself, but he couldn’t risk losing what little control he had on the situation.

He didn't have to think about it much longer because soon he was coming like a geyser all over his stomach.

Daryl wasn't nearly finished yet and pounded into Rick for two more minutes before he blew his load inside Rick’s hole.

Daryl's grip on the man's hips didn't loosen as he came down from his orgasm. He rested his head on Rick's stomach and lapped up some of the cum that was beginning to dry. 

When Daryl felt himself slip out of Rick's asshole, he sighed heavily and stood up straight. He pulled the rag from Rick's mouth and put his pants back on.

As he walked away, he stopped to pick up Rick's pants and threw them at him. “I'm gonna get Michonne. Meet us at the car in ten minutes.”


	5. Chapter Five

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Saving Glenn and Maggie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to apologize for the length of time it has taken me to write this little, crap chapter. I've not felt well and haven't been able to focus on much of anything. Forgive any mistakes as my eyes are crossed and I cant tell up from down. Hope you enjoy it anyway. Let me know what you think.

Chapter Five

No one said a word for at least an hour. Oscar sat in the backseat with Michonne so he could keep an eye on her; Rick sat in the passenger’s seat while Daryl drove, so Daryl could keep an eye on him. 

The tension between the two men was evident to the other passengers. Michonne kept her eyes out the side window watching as the trees passed and Oscar stared straight into the back of Rick’s head. 

“Do you know where we are?” Daryl asked looking in the rearview mirror. “How much longer till we start walking?”

“About twenty more miles,” Michonne replied. “We’ll walk through the woods to the back entrance; have to wait until dark to go in.”

Daryl nodded his head and returned his attention to the road. He hadn’t sent Rick a glance since the man climbed into the car; Rick had been looking at him, though. Daryl could see every time the man’s head turned toward him and sighed internally.

He hated doing that shit to Rick, not the fucking him part, that was amazing. What Daryl hated was the fact that he knew Rick wanted more. He knew Rick needed the discipline Daryl offered him, but he suspected that Rick wanted something softer; something that looked like love and affection.

Daryl carefully handed Michonne her katana and marveled as she whipped it around before re-sheathing it and throwing it across her back. He really hoped this wasn’t a trap because he wouldn’t mind inviting her to stay and maybe learn how to use that giant knife.

Michonne was on point, followed by Rick and Oscar, with Daryl bringing up the rear. Daryl kept one eye on the woman and the other on Rick. He still hadn’t spoken to or even acknowledged the man, but now was not the time to think about what was going on there. He had to focus on Glenn and Maggie.

Suddenly, Michonne stopped and crouched down behind a Red Cedar tree. The three men followed her lead and hid behind the trees surrounding them. 

“The back gate is right beyond those trees,” she whispered to them. “We should stay here until the sun is down then move in.”

Daryl agreed and Rick voiced his acceptance of the plan, so they made themselves comfortable in the dirt and leaves. 

Rick couldn’t stop looking at Daryl. He was more confused by the man’s earlier actions than anything else. He wasn’t angry at the way things had gone between them, but he wished Daryl had done more than just walk away afterward. 

As the sun disappeared below the horizon, Michonne led them the few remaining feet to the back walls of Woodbury. They observed that there was no guard watching, but through the wooden slats, they could see people milling around. 

Rick and Daryl were busy putting their game plan together when Michonne disappeared. When Rick turned around to confirm the plan was sound, she wasn’t there.

“Fuck!” he exclaimed causing Daryl and Oscar to turn around as well.

“Where the fuck did she go?” Oscar asked.

“Goddammit! I knew it was a fucking trap!” Daryl said bitterly.

“What do we do now?” Oscar asked.

“We go in there, find Glenn and Maggie, and get the fuck up outta this bitch,” Daryl said. “Whoever sees her first, takes her out.”

Daryl found a large crack in one of the fencing slats and kicked it until it broke into two separate pieces of wood. Ripping them from their holdings, Daryl slid through the narrow opening he had created. Rick and Oscar followed him and the three men kept to the shadows, moving behind buildings and sneaking through alleyways.

They didn’t know where they were going or where they needed to be; there was no sign of Michonne, and Daryl’s anger was growing by the minute.

Oscar and Rick would circle each building looking for lights or movement while Daryl stayed alert looking for threats. One of the buildings they came upon was lit on the bottom level by what looked like candlelight. As the three men got closer, they could hear noises coming from inside; noises that sounded like yelling and crying.

Oscar peered through one of the dirty windows and saw a group of men coming down the staircase leading two people wearing sheets over their heads.

“I think they’re in here,” Oscar whispered. Rick and Daryl looked through the window and agreed that it was Glenn and Maggie on their knees within the circle of men.

“How are we gonna do this?” Rick asked quietly. Oscar looked at the men curiously. He hadn’t expected Rick to be the one asking the question.

“Best plan is to just bust in the front door. Have your weapons ready,” Daryl instructed them. “Rick and I will put down cover fire, try to get as many of them as we can. You,” he said pointing to Oscar, “grab Glenn and Maggie and get them the fuck out. Take them around to the back of the building and we’ll be right behind you.”

Creeping around to the front door, the men got into position with Rick in the lead. With their weapons ready, Rick kicked in the door and they stormed through the entrance. The men surrounding the prisoners scattered, allowing Oscar a direct route to them, and through gunfire, he ran in and took them outside. 

Daryl shot off a couple of bolts that hit their mark and Rick put bullets in the rest of them, leaving no one in the room but them breathing. Running out they met Oscar, Glenn, and Maggie ducking into another building and rushed in behind them.

Oscar removed their bindings as Rick tried to find out what happened. “Who did this to you?” he asked as Daryl paced the floor.

“It was Merle,” Glenn said excitedly. “Merle did this.”

Daryl stopped in his tracks and stared at Glenn with shock. “My brother’s this Governor?” he asked with uncertainty.

“No,” Maggie answered. “He’s like his Lieutenant or something. His right-hand man, his muscle. He beat Glenn, tied him to a chair and locked him in a room with a walker.”

Daryl knew Merle better than anyone and was having a tough time hearing and believing his brother would do something like that. “Merle’s here? In Woodbury?” Daryl looked at Rick desperately. “I gotta go find him. He can lead us to this Governor.”

“No,” Rick said sternly. He saw the look on Daryl’s face and knew he was desperate to find his brother, but Rick needed Daryl on his side; he needed Daryl to keep him and his family together. 

“I need you here. He’s not gonna give up this Governor; he tried to kill Glenn for God’s sake.”

“He took Maggie to the Governor and let him assault her,” Glenn yelled spewing venom with his words. 

“We came here to get our people and we have,” Rick said. “We need to get out of here and get everyone to safety before this maniac finds out we’ve been here. I need you here, are you with me?”

The idea of leaving his brother made Daryl sick. He knew Merle would still be holding on to the anger he had toward Rick and the group, but he knew that he could make Merle understand. He knew he could make Rick and the group understand. If he just had the chance to talk to him, he could get this mess straightened up. 

“Daryl? Are you with me?” Rick repeated. Daryl looked at the man and saw fear. Rick was scared that Daryl would leave him and take up with Merle. He realized then, that if things went south for them, he could be killed before he ever found his brother. 

“Yeah, I’m with you,” he said as he looked Rick in the eyes. 

As they prepared to leave, Rick stood by Daryl and took his hand in his, squeezing reassuringly. He knew what Daryl had gone through when he lost Merle, and now that they knew his brother was alive and close, Rick felt horrible about asking him to stay with them. His fear of losing Daryl and jealousy over the bond Daryl had with his brother caused him to guilt the man into staying. He knew that would backfire on him someday, but not today.

As they stood by the door, Daryl and Rick moved to the front to put down fire if it was needed. “Rick and I go out first; Oscar, you take Glenn and Maggie back to the wall where we came in. Stay hidden and wait for us there.”

After a three count, Rick pushed the doors open slowly and saw a group of people gathered at the building where the couple had been held. Walking out casually, Rick and Daryl stood in front of the door watching the crowd while Oscar led Glenn and Maggie away quietly.

Thinking they hadn’t been seen, Rick began to move away from the door to follow the trio ahead of them. “Who the hell are you?” came a voice from the crowd. Suddenly, the group was walking toward them with weapons ready.

“Go, Rick! Make sure they’re safe. I’m gonna lay down some cover fire! Go!” Daryl yelled as the crowd came closer.

“I’m not leaving you!” Rick yelled back. 

“You gotta keep ‘em safe, Rick! Go!”

Rick saw the look on Daryl’s face and knew how serious he was about this. The man took off running and didn’t look back until he found their three friends hovering by the opening in the fence.


	6. Chapter Six

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Return to the prison

The last thing Daryl remembered was the Woodbury crowd advancing on him. He had let a few bolts go into the crown and was sure he hit something, but when the gunfire started, he moved to run back to the wall where his friends were waiting for him; where Rick was waiting for him.

******************************************************************************************************************************************************

His eyes opened to darkness; a sheet over his head and the stink of death and blood around him. It was quiet, but every move he made echoed through the hallway. He was having a tough time breathing and was becoming anxious. Realizing he was tied to a chair, he began to fight his restraints and almost fell to the ground.

Daryl heard a large metal door slam open and footsteps coming toward him. “This is gonna be one helluva show,” he heard one man say.

“The Governor wants to see ‘em in the ring together. Wants to teach ‘em both a lesson,” the second man said.

Suddenly, Daryl felt hands on him. Someone was holding him by the shoulders and someone else was releasing him from the chair. Hauling him up, one man on either side of him, he was led out of the room and down the long hallway.

Once he was outside, the night breeze cooled his sweaty skin and goosebumps erupted on his bare arms. Daryl could hear crowds of people shouting and cheering, and when they were silenced, he heard one man speak.

“This is one of the terrorists; Merle’s own brother!”

The pillow case was ripped from his head and Daryl stared into the face of his brother. For the first time since he was a child, Daryl was scared. Looking through the crowd, he saw people holding torches and screaming for his death.

“What should we do with them?’ the Governor asked the crowd, who responded with, “Kill them, kill them now!”

Daryl looked at his brother; Merle was just as scared as he was. Daryl’s chest was heaving and his eyes darted between every person screaming for his death.

The Governor walked up to Merle. “You wanted your brother, here he is.” The crowd continued to yell and chant. “A fight, to the death!

The crowd cheered as Merle spoke on his own behalf. “You people know me,” he said as he walked toward his brother. “I’m gonna do what I gotta do to prove my loyalty lies with this town.” 

Without hesitation, Merle punched Daryl in the stomach hard enough to knock him to the ground. He kicked his brother in the stomach repeatedly while walkers were brought out to the fight arena.

“You think this asshole is gonna let you go?” Daryl yelled as he got in his first good shot at Merle.

“Just follow my lead, baby brother. I’m getting us out of here right now,” Merle told him and pulled Daryl up on his feet.

Standing back to back, the brothers fought against the onslaught of walkers surrounding them. Without weapons, Daryl and Merle fought them the only way they could; pushing them away and shoving them to the ground.

Gunfire swiftly disrupted the brother’s battle as the walkers began to fall to the ground. The crowd scattered and ran for safety as Merle and Daryl ran for their lives. Daryl tore his crossbow out of the grip of a large man and ran to catch up with his brother and the others.

******************************************************************************************************************************************************

Once outside the wall, the group scrambled to get into the woods. Rick turned to make sure everyone was still together and saw Merle Dixon.

“No! Merle, you ain’t coming with us.”

He and Daryl were fighting off and killing the walkers to allow the others to get away. “We ain’t got time to argue, Sheriff. We got to get out of here!” With Oscar and Maggie in the lead, Rick, Daryl, and Merle they disappeared into the woods.

Glenn and Michonne were waiting by the car when the group returned. The minute Merle came into view, they had their weapons drawn; Daryl and Rick drew on them in return.

“What is he doing here?” Glenn screamed. “He’s not going with us! Do you know what he did to Maggie?” The entire group is enraged by Merle’s presence and begin to argue and talk over one another.

Merle leaned back against a tree and smirked. “Looks like you’ve gone native, brother.”

“No more than you hanging around that psycho back there,” Daryl hollered.

“He is a charmer,” Merle replied. “Been putting the wood to your girlfriend Andrea, big time,” he said, glaring at Michonne.

Rick, Daryl, Maggie, and Glenn shifted their attention to Michonne. “Andrea’s in Woodbury?” Glenn asked.

“Right next to the Governor,” Merle answered as his smirk grew larger.

Rick turned to the woman. “You know Andrea?”

“Oh yeah, she does.” Merle pushed himself into the conversation again. “She and blondie spent all winter cuddled up in the forest. My Nubian queen had herself two pet walkers; no arms, no jaws. Kept ‘em in chains; kind of ironic when you think about it.”

“Shut up!” Daryl yelled. The excitement he felt when he saw his brother for the first time in months was quickly waning and the anger and arguing were becoming too much.

“I snatched ‘em outta the woods; Andrea was close to dying.” He looked at Rick. “Look at this, Sheriff; surrounded by a bunch of liars, thugs, and thieves.”

Daryl turned around swiftly. “Man, why don’t you shut the fuck up!”

Merle turned and faced his brother. “Bunch of pussies!”

Rick snuck up behind him and knocked him out with the butt of his Python.

******************************************************************************************************************************************************

While Merle slept it off and Michonne sat in the backseat of the car, Oscar kept his eye on them; Rick, Daryl, Maggie, and Glenn discussed the situation.

“The Governor ain't gonna take this lying down. He could be on his way to the prison right now. Merle knows how he operates; we could use the muscle.”

“You really want him in the same cell block as Carol? Beth?” Glenn asked with anger.

“He ain't a rapist!” Daryl yelled. “Rick, we gotta talk,” he said and turned to walk into the woods. Rick didn't glance at the others but followed Daryl to talk.

“You know I'm right, Rick. I feel horrible about what he's done to Glenn and Maggie, they’re my family too, but I lost him once because of you stupid pricks. Either he comes home with us, or I leave with him. You want us gone when the Governor comes knocking?”

Rick's head was beginning to hurt. He felt pulled in two different directions; the people who expected him to protect them and keep them safe versus the only person who could protect him and keep him safe.

“No, Daryl. We need you; I need you. You know that.”

“Fine then, we'll take ‘em both back. Michonne goes back to the infirmary, and Merle gets a cell. He don't talk to nobody; he don't communicate with anyone. Nobody talks to him either. Those people don't look at him, don't talk to him. You're their leader, you lay down the law. If they have a problem with this or him, they bring it to me.”

******************************************************************************************************************************************************

The ride back to the prison was quiet. They found an abandoned truck on the roadside and separated to make more space in the car. Oscar, Michonne, Maggie, and Glenn rode together, while Rick, Daryl, and Merle took the car back to the prison.

Carol and Carl were guarding the gate as they approached and opened it, allowing them to enter quickly. As the vehicles passed by, Carol noticed an extra person in the backseat of the car. Running to catch up to the vehicles, she grabbed Rick as he exited the car.

“Was Merle in Woodbury? Did the Governor have him too?”

Rick looked around him at Glenn and Maggie as they made their way into the prison, Oscar helping Michonne out of the car and into the cell block, and Daryl taking his brother to find a cell.

“It’s a long story, Carol. He was with the Governor. He’s the one who took Glenn and Maggie.”

Carol clamped her hand over her mouth in shock. “And you brought him here? With them?”

“It was either that, or Daryl left with him. I know nobody wants him here, but we can’t lose Daryl. The Governor is gonna want revenge and having Daryl and Merle here will be an asset.”

Carol shook her head. “I know that makes sense, and I’m glad Daryl has his brother back, but he’s just going to make everyone angry. What are you going to do with him?”

“Daryl is going to set him up in a cell. No one is to approach him or speak to him, and he is not to speak to any of you. That’s how it’s gonna be until we figure things out better. He will not be allowed to roam the prison.”

******************************************************************************************************************************************************

Merle cringed when he heard the cell door lock behind him. “I gotta be honest with you, baby brother, I never thought I’d hear that sound again.”

“It’s for your own good, Merle. You know that. If we let you walk free around here, you’d be dead by nightfall,” Daryl told him.

“These people ain’t never gonna accept me, ya know. I damn near killed that Chinese kid.” 

“He’s Korean,” Daryl retorted.

“Whatever, it don’t matter to them if I can help you fight against the Governor. They’d rather I’d be dead either way.”

“All you have to do it try,” Daryl said. “Apologize to Glenn, Maggie, and Michonne. Be nice to everybody and don’t start fights with Rick.” 

“Ah, Rick. Y’all are buddies now ain’t ya? Ole Merle ain’t gone for a day and you two are just like this,” Merle said as he put his first and middle fingers together. 

“We went back for ya. Ain’t my fault ya couldn’t wait. We got up on that roof and you weren’t there; all you left was your damn hand. Hell, if you hadn’t been acting like an ass, you never would’ve been handcuffed in the first place.”

“So, you’re telling me I lost my hand because I’m not nice?”

“You lost your hand because you’re a simple-minded piece of shit. People treat you the way they do because you’re an arrogant asshole and you go in thinking nobody likes you. I was just like you until Rick and Glenn and Carol gave me a chance. I put myself out there for them and now I got friends, Merle. You could too if you stopped thinking about what you can get out of it.”

Daryl slammed his hands against the bars, turned his back to his brother, and strode out of the room looking for Rick.

.


	7. Chapter Seven

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the late update and it's crappiness.

Chapter Seven

Daryl found Rick in his cell; he looked shellshocked. He was staring into space and his hands shook. He wore the same haunted look as he had after Lori’s death.

“Rick, what happened? Are you okay?” Daryl asked and sat on the bottom bunk next to him.

“I saw her, Daryl; she’s here.”

“Who’s here?” He asked.

“Lori,” he whispered.

Daryl groaned inwardly. Rick had done such a great job last night. He had pushed down the doubt and feelings of inadequacy and performed at the level their group had learned to expect from him. He even came back to rescue Daryl and bring him home, along with his piece of shit brother, despite how the other’s felt about that.

He could see how frightened Rick was. The man had to know that he was hallucinating; Rick acknowledged his wife’s death although he was still mourning, but he wanted to work through that and move on.

Daryl stood and pulled Rick up with him. “Let’s go down to the tombs. I figure you don’t want nobody hearing about this; we’ll have some privacy.”

Rick followed Daryl blindly, trusting that he would know how to make the horrible visions go away. They came across Carol on their way down and told her if anyone asked after them, to say they were making plans regarding the Governor’s approaching attack.

Once secured in privacy, the two men sat on the floor and faced each other. “Tell me everything; start at the beginning,” Daryl told Rick.

“When we got back, after you took Merle inside, Hershel told me that there was something he needed to show me. People got into the prison from the back wall, where the building is destroyed. There were five of them, but one was bitten and died. Hershel let them bury her in the yard, and said they could stay until we got back. They want to stay here; live here with us.”

“What did you tell them?” Daryl asked calmly.

“I couldn’t do it; I couldn’t let them stay. I didn’t want them to stay. I can’t take on extra people; not now, not with the Governor on his way here. I can’t take care of the people we have here now.”

“So you threw them out? You let them go and sent them out into this shit? To let the Governor find them on the road? Maybe recruit them to fight with him and against us?”

Rick got angry and stood up, yelling at Daryl. “I didn’t know what to do! You weren’t there and I didn’t know what you would have done! I couldn’t keep Lori safe! You weren’t there, Daryl! I didn’t know what to do! That’s when I saw her! She was standing on the catwalk looking down on me! She was blaming me!”

Daryl stood as Rick came closer and closer in his anger; finally pushing him away when he came too close. There was fire and fear in the man’s eyes and he needed to be calmed down quickly and sufficiently. 

Taking two large steps to gain momentum, Daryl pulled back his arm and punched Rick directly in the face, effectively knocking him on his ass. 

“First of all, these people believe in you; they trust you and see the best in you. That should prove to you that you’ve made them feel safe. Secondly, Lori’s fucking dead; she ain’t fucking here. She got lost, Rick. Carl and Maggie kept her safe and alive long enough to give birth and even if you’d been right beside her she still would’ve died. No one can survive what she went through.”

Daryl offered his hand to Rick and helped him stand on his feet. “You need to snap out of it, Rick. I’m gonna keep my end of the bargain; I’m gonna take care of you and keep you here with us,” he said as he tapped Rick’s forehead with his finger. “But you need to keep your end too. You need to stay calm and let me make the decisions.”

“You weren’t there when I needed you,” Rick said quietly. “You were with Merle, not me. I was the only one there, the decision was mine to make and I couldn’t. I was scared and I threw them out.”  
Daryl put his finger and thumb on Rick’s chin and turned the man’s head to meet his. “I know, and I’m sorry, but I’m real proud of ya, Rick. Going in with us, after Michonne bailed; you made decisions on your own and got everybody out safe. You even let that jackass come back with us despite the shit he pulled.”

Daryl stepped back and unbuckled his belt. “I want you to know that you did a good job, you’re getting better. You just need to stay focused, and I promise I’ll do a better job of that, but I think you deserve something good. You saved my life.”

Daryl pushed his pants down and held his dick in his hand. “Get on your knees for me.”

Rick did, and reached to take a hold of it for himself. “Uh uh, not yet. I want you to tell be how much you want my dick; ask for it real nice and polite.”

“I want your dick in my mouth, Daryl. I wanna taste it, feel it on my tongue. I wanna suck it, lick it. It calms me down. Please let me suck your dick,”

Daryl reached down and ruffled Rick’s curls. “Nobody’s ever said anything so pretty to me before. Go ahead, put it in your mouth.”

Rick gripped the base of Daryl’s cock and swirled his tongue around the tip. Daryl sighed loudly as Rick took the tip into his mouth and began to suck gently. Daryl groaned and panted as Rick sucked on his cockhead and took him further down his throat. When Rick began to massage Daryl’s balls with his free hand, Daryl nearly fell to his knees.

“Fuck, Rick.” Daryl whined. “Never been sucked this good before. You got a beautiful mouth.”

Rick’s hand and mouth moved in sync and he hummed around Daryl’s dick causing the man above him to cry out and tighten his grip  on Rick’s curls. The pressure in his balls was building and Daryl wasn’t going to be able to hold out much longer.

He didn’t give any warning of his orgasm and his dick throbbed and gushed down Rick’s throat. Rick began to cough and choke as Daryl’s hot cum burst into his mouth, causing him to pull off abruptly and spill most of it onto the floor. 

“I’m so sorry, Daryl,” Rick sputtered at he tried to regain his breath. Now on all fours trying to recover, the man wouldn’t look up; he only stared down to the dirty floor.

Once Daryl’s own breathing returned to normal, he tucked himself back into his pants and crouched down, putting his arm around Rick’s back. 

“Nothing to apologize for, Rick. You did good, so damn good; best head I ever got. I never came so hard or fast before in my life. You did real good.”

Daryl stood up and helped Rick to his feet. “How you feeling?”

Rick looked at Daryl and saw a small smile on his face. “I’m good, Daryl. Thank you.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t there when ya needed me. It’s my job to look out for ya and keep ya focused, and I didn’t . I’m the one that’s sorry, and I won’t let it happen again.

**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

The next morning when Rick exited the prison, he inspected the yard. Michonne had stayed in the broken down bus left by the watchtower and he could see a handful of walkers meandering the outer fence. It was still early and most of the prison was still asleep; except for Daryl.

Rick had looked for him, going to the tombs, looking in the kitchen and the hidey holes Rick knew he had, but he was in none of those places. Then it dawned on him where the man would be.  

He heard loud voices as he approached D block. It wasn’t yelling or shouting, but it was definitely an argument between the brothers. He couldn’t understand what they were saying to each other, and wasn’t going to interfere in their private business. 

It was a beautiful day; blue skies and white, puffy clouds surrounded the prison and made Rick smile. They hadn’t seen hide nor hare of the Governor and Rick hoped that meant that he wasn’t coming after them. As he scanned the area outside the fences, he debated whether or not he should worry about the few walkers that approached the prison, until he saw one he recognized. 

She wasn’t a walker though; her long brown hair blew in the wind and the white dress fit her form perfectly. Her back was to him and he couldn’t see her face, but Rick knew who it was and ran to the gate to confirm her existence.

Michonne watched him run passed her and out the gate. She hadn’t seen him fall apart yesterday and was curious as to what had gotten him all riled up. 

Running around to the side of the fence, Rick stopped short of the small bridge that covered the brook flowing through the ground. He slowly walked onto the bridge, her slender form still and unmoving.

“Lori?” He questioned as he moved closer.

When she turned around, her face was a mask of pity and Rick's heart sank. He saw her beautiful face for only a moment before it transformed into the hideous visage of a rotting walker.

Rick took a step back just in time, because a bullet hit the Lori walker in the head and it toppled over the bridge. Rick heard more gunshots and looked around to see where they were coming from. Running back to the fence line, he looked over his shoulder and saw two vehicles parked just outside the front gate.

Looking inside the prison yard he saw Glenn, Maggie, Carol, Daryl, and Merle returning fire. Rick carefully hugged the fence as he made his way around to the front gate. There was a jeep and a box truck parked there; the Governor had finally made his appearance.

Daryl was desperately looking around for Rick. He hadn't seen him since he passed his cell in the early morning hours while the man was still sleeping. He had stood there for a good ten minutes just watching Rick's chest rise and fall with his breathing. He hadn't been able to get the image of Rick on his knees, lips around his dick out of his head since it happened, and didn't want to.

He'd had his dick sucked before, but it had been sloppy and poorly executed, given by Merle's castoffs or women who tried to get a deal for their drugs. Rick had put thought and feeling into it and it had felt good. It felt better than anything Daryl had ever experienced.

He had been in D block talking to his brother when the first shots rang out. Running to the dirty window at the end of the hall, he saw the Governor and his men firing on his home and family. Immediately, he opened Merle's cell door and handed him a rifle before hauling ass outside.

Daryl returned fire, along with his brother and the rest while also searching for Rick. He knew the man had been up and about because he had heard his voice in the hallways, but didn't know where the man had gone.

The gunfire had attracted more walkers and now they were aiming their weapons at the dead as well. Scanning the expanse of the fence line, he finally caught sight of the man outside the front gate.

That was the moment when the box truck came crashing through the fence, between where Rick was standing and the gate. The shootout stopped momentarily as they waited to see what was going to happen. When the walkers were released from the back, the truck took off.

“Rick!” He yelled at the top of his lungs. Moving closer to Merle, he tried to form a plan in his head.

“Rick's outside the gate, goddammit!” He yelled over the din of bullets around them.

“I ain't letting you go out there, brother. I don't give a shit about what you said, he ain't worth it.”

“Whether you got my back or not, I can't let him die out there. I ain't gonna lose him, so either you cover me or I go alone.”

Merle gave his brother an exasperated look. “I ain't gonna let you die for that piece of shit cop. You head out; I got ya covered.”

Daryl ran faster than he ever had; gun in his belt and crossbow ready to shoot. Stopping at the bus that laid on it’s side in the field, he climbed inside to protect himself from the wandering walkers. Michonne was already in the yard slicing them up with the katana and she yelled to Daryl when she saw him jump into the bus.

“He’s trapped,” she said. “I’ll take care of them and you made a run for it. Bring him inside.”

Daryl didn’t argue with her, he jumped from the bus and ran the rest of the way through the front gate, dodging bullets and taking down walkers with his knife. Finally, he reached Rick, who was shooting his own walkers and still trying to fend off the remaining Governor’s men.

Daryl grabbed his arm and pulled him away from the fence and inside the gate. The sound of the last vehicle roaring away greeted them as they jumped into the back of the bus, but shots were still flying, hitting the walkers in the field. 

Daryl immediately checked Rick for bites and injuries, and after he found none, wrapped his arms around the man in a tight embrace.


	8. Chapter Eight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl and Rick have a talk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Final chapter here. Thank you to everyone who read and left kudos and comments. This story was a struggle for me as ZA stories always are, but I'm happy that you all liked it. Love you all.

Chapter Eight

“You shot?” Daryl asked as his hands roamed Rick's body.

“No, don't feel like it,” he answered.

“Bit?”

“No, they didn't get that close to me.”

“You ought to let Hershel look you over,” Daryl said as he removed his hands from Rick's body and scooted back against the wall of the bus.

“I will,” Rick promised. “Are you hurt?”

“No, just scared to fucking death. Thought you was a goner. I almost freaked the fuck out,” Daryl answered.

Michonne was still in the yard, beheading the few remaining walkers dumped on them by the Governor. She peered inside the bus as she passed by, but said nothing about what she had seen happen inside.

“What were you doing outside the fence anyway?” Daryl asked as he moved to jump out of the bus.

Rick was hesitant to tell the truth about what he had seen in the field beyond the fence but knew Daryl would know he was lying. “Lori was standing on the bridge.”

Rick looked ashamed by his confession and turned his head away from Daryl. “I know it wasn't her, but I had to find out if there was really something out there.”

“Was there?” he asked as he turned around and offered Rick his hand to help him out of the bus.

“It was a walker,” he replied as he took Daryl’s hand and allowed the man to pull him from the bus. “I’m not crazy and I’m not stupid. I knew it wasn’t her, but I had to know what it was. When I got to the bridge, I saw it was a walker and that’s when the Governor attacked. It got hit by a bullet and fell into the creek.”

Daryl looked around the yard; Michonne was still beheading walkers, but everyone else had disappeared into the prison. Daryl took Rick’s hand and led him out of the yard and up to C block. Everyone was talking about how they were going to handle the Governor, but Daryl was only concerned with getting Rick checked out.

“Hey, Hershel. Would you be able to look at Rick? He wasn’t shot or bit, but I’d feel better if you looked him over,” Daryl asked.

“Of course, Daryl. Take him to the infirmary. I’ll be there directly,” Hershel replied and grabbed his crutches.

Rick and Daryl walked down the corridor to the infirmary holding hands as soon as they were out of everyone’s eyesight. “You scared the shit out of me, Rick,” Daryl said as they waited for Hershel. “I’m so glad you’re okay.”

Rick jumped onto the table and Daryl stood in front of him, wedging himself between the man’s legs. He placed his palm on Rick’s cheek and leaned in to kiss him; it was slow and gentle and full of appreciation for Rick’s existence. They kissed until Hershel’s uneven steps could be heard in the hallway. Breaking apart quickly, Daryl blushed and turned to leave the room; nearly knocking the old man off his feet.

Turning the corner at the end of the hall, Daryl stopped and leaned back against the cold, concrete wall. He slid down onto his ass and covered his face with his hands. He cursed himself for kissing Rick that way; the last thing he needed to do at a time like this was get emotional, but he had been so relieved that Rick was alive and unharmed. 

They were on the verge of war with this maniac and Daryl couldn’t afford to lose focus. He needed to stay alert and not let Rick distract him from the duties he had taken on. Loving Rick was pointless if he lost him or any other member of his family. Deciding he needed to get his mind back in the game, he went back to the group to put in his two cents about what they should do.

Glenn and Merle were arguing about what their plan of action should be. Glenn wanted to go in, guns blazing and take him and all his people out. Merle, on the other hand, said that would be the stupidest thing they could do; the Governor and his men would kill them on sight.

Daryl walked into the room unnoticed by everyone except Michonne, who had finished clearing the yard. “How’s Rick?” she asked.

“I think he’ll be fine; Hershel’s taking care of him now.”

“How do you think he’s gonna want to handle this. You seem to know him better than anyone; what do you think?”

Daryl didn’t know what to tell her. He didn’t know how to handle this, therefore Rick didn’t either. He supposed everyone would be looking for their leader’s sage counsel, but they would have to discuss it between themselves first. 

“He was a cop, ya know. He’s probably got plans A through Z running through his head right now. I’ll talk to him when Hershel’s done.”

Daryl soon grew tired of hearing his brother and Glenn exchange insults, so he stole his brother away under the pretext that he was going back into his cell. Once there, Daryl stepped in behind him and closed the door. 

“What would you do?” he asked his brother.

Merle’s eyes grew wide with surprise. “You asking for my advice, baby brother? I never thought I’d see the day.”

“Stop gloating and just tell me. You know him; what else is he capable of?”

“Unspeakable things, brother. All these people are as good as dead. It might take him a little longer if y’all fight back, but he won’t rest until y’all are dead and this prison is his.”

Daryl shook his head vehemently. “Didn’t ask you what our chances are. I asked you what you would do. How are we gonna go up against this psycho.”

Merle looked at Daryl with awe; he was seeing his brother in a new light. It was as if he had grown up while he had been away and now he was a man trying to keep his family safe.

“Well, I sure as shit wouldn’t go in there like a chicken with its head cut off; I’d try to draw them out. Set a few people up outside the gates somewhere and whenever he or any of them leave, follow ‘em. Then take ‘em out if ya can. It might take longer, but you’re more likely to survive.”

Daryl sat on the bed next to his brother. “You’re right. I understand Glenn’s pissed off and wants the fucker dead, but we got to think this through first and be sneaky about it. He’ll expect us to go into Woodbury and bring hellfire with use. This he won’t suspect. Thanks, Merle.”

“You think Friendly is gonna go along with it? Y’all don’t do anything unless he says so, right? How are you gonna convince him to do this if he knows it was my idea?”

“Don’t have to convince him of shit. I’m gonna tell him this is what we’re doing and that’s it. He’ll accept it.”

Merle looked at him suspiciously. “Don’t tell me you’re the man in that relationship.”

Daryl sighed loudly. “After Lori died, he lost his mind; he holed up down in the tombs and thought she was calling him on the phone. He was useless and scared. We made an agreement; I’d take over making decisions and give him all the credit, and he’d come back to us; less stress for him.”

“So, he let me come back here with you because you told him to?”

“Yep,” Daryl answered.

Merle cackled and slapped Daryl on the back. “You running this place, baby brother? Didn’t think you had it in you. Guess I made a man out of you after all.”

“This has nothing to do with you. Rick’s been more of a brother to me than you ever were. Rick’s never left me once; he trusts me, listens to me, and treats me with respect. You’ve never done any of that.”

“I know,” Merle said and hung his head. “I’m sorry, brother. I wanted to take care of ya, but by the time dad died, I’s too messed up to do it right. I ain’t never had nothing going for me but my name, and Dixon ain’t gonna get you nothing but shit.”

“I know what being a Dixon means; I know how people look at us and what they think of us, but these people ain’t like that. They saw past all that bravado bullshit and gave me a chance. They’d give you one too if you stopped being an asshole.”

**************************************************************************************************************************************************************************

After Daryl left his brother, he walked to the infirmary to check on Rick but met him in the corridor on the way there. “You gonna be alright?” 

“Hershel said I’m fine. I went down to find you, but everyone said you took Merle to his cell,” Rick answered.

“Yeah, he and Glenn were about to come to blows so I thought it’d be best to get his ass out of there. We need to talk about what happened and what we’re gonna do about it.”

Rick hummed and nodded his head. “Sooner rather than later, I’d think. You have any ideas”

“I do,” Daryl replied. “Let’s go somewhere we can talk. This one may be hard to get past the others.”

Rick followed him to the warden’s office and locked the door behind them. “What’s going on? I know Glenn’s pissed off. What happened?”

Daryl sat at the edge of the desk and crossed his arms over his chest. “Glenn wants to go in gangbusters and take out everyone in Woodbury. Merle thinks we should back off and let things cool down before we strike.”

Rick leaned against the wall. “They’ll be on high alert; expecting us to retaliate. What do you think we should do?”

“Merle had an idea; I think it’s a good idea and it’s what we’re gonna do. He says we should set up scouts outside Woodbury, in the forest. Every vehicle that leaves we follow ‘em and take them out. It’ll take a while, but if we can whittle ‘em down before he realizes what’s happening, we’ll have an advantage.”

“That’s Merle’s idea?” Rick asked.

“Yep. I told you he could help us. I know if everybody knows it’s his idea they won’t want to do it, but you know it’s our only chance to win this; to keep this prison. Hell, tell ‘em it’s his idea, maybe they’ll realize he ain’t got no loyalty to that fucker. Merle’s only loyalty is to family, and that’s me.”

“Alright then, we’ll tell them what the plan is and that it was Merle’s idea. They don’t have a choice; if they don’t like it they can stay here and hold down the fort.”

“There ain’t no ‘we’ here, Rick. That ain’t part of our deal. You’re their leader, you tell them,” Daryl told him and got up to leave.

Rick grabbed his arm as he walked past. “Fuck our agreement. All of this? Everything we have? Is because of you; I’ve told you that before. You think these people won’t listen to you; you think they won’t follow you? Daryl, they’ve been following you. You’ve provided food and shelter and saved their lives over and over again. If you went to them and said this is our plan, they’d fall in line to make it work.”

“You’re that confident that they’ll accept this coming from me? And that it was Merle’s idea?”

“Yes, I am. I’ll stand next to you; they’ll know this is a decision you and I have made together. They know we stand together.”

Daryl smirked. “Sounds like you don’t need my help anymore. You’re all full of confidence now; guess our deal is done.”

“I am always gonna need you, Daryl. I’m always gonna want you by my side. You helped me get here; things don’t have to change with us. I like the way things are.”

Daryl liked the way things were too, but he wasn’t sure if Rick meant the same thing that he did. “You need to choose your words carefully, Rick. You might not be thinking the same thing I am.”

“I’m thinking I don’t want to lose what we’ve had over the past week. I’m thinking that … I'm in love with you.”

Daryl's eyes widened.

“I know that's not what you want to hear,” Rick continued, “but it's true. I love the way you fuck me, Daryl; I just wish it could be more than that.”

“I know you do, but you don't know what you're wishing for. I don't know if I can be gentle like you want. I wish I could ‘cause I wanna be able to give that to you.”

“You can,” Rick said softly. He took Daryl's hand and led him back to the desk. “You can be whatever you want to be; this can be whatever you want it to be. If we’re together, nothing else matters.”

Daryl reached out and brought Rick's lips to his. He kissed him slowly and passionately, trying to give them both what they wanted. He had never in his life tasted anything as sweet as Rick's lips and wanted more.

He began to unbutton Rick's shirt and pushed it off his shoulders, then kissed his neck and throat moving slowly down his chest. Rick's heart was beating like a tribal drum and he had to hold on to Daryl or else his weak knees would collapse.

Daryl's hands moved to Rick's belt and quickly unfastened it, then he turned them around; he was on his knees before Rick’s ass hit the edge of the desk. Daryl pulled Rick’s pants down his legs and off, throwing them on the floor where the man’s shirt lay. 

The two men looked into each other’s eyes as Daryl took Rick’s cock in his hand and moved it up and down. “I’ve been in love with you since the farm,” Daryl said. “Never thought I’d ever have the chance to show you how much.”

Daryl licked the tip of Rick’s cock causing the man above him to shiver. Twisting his tongue around the head, Daryl moved his mouth down Rick’s length as far as he could go. His hand and mouth worked together to give Rick all the pleasure he was capable of and from the sounds the man was making Daryl was very capable.

He sucked and licked Rick into a frenzy; Rick’s fingers twisted through Daryl’s hair and held him in place as the pressure in his balls became unbearable. “I’m gonna cum, Daryl! God!”

Daryl looked up at Rick and hummed around his cock; he saw Rick cum before he tasted him, and he’d never seen a more beautiful man in his life. He swallowed every drop then stood up and removed his clothes. Daryl had never been completely naked in the presence of another man before and was suddenly nervous.

Rick noticed his discomfort and took a half step closer. “You’re beautiful, Daryl. There’s no reason to be embarrassed or nervous. I love your body and I want to be surrounded by it.”

Daryl pulled Rick’s lips to his and kissed him for all he was worth. Lifting him up by the thighs, Daryl sat Rick on the edge of the desk and gently pushed him to lay back. He pulled Rick’s legs apart and settled between them running his hands down his stomach to his inner thighs. 

He wedged his middle finger between Rick’s ass cheeks and rubbed it against the man’s hole. Daryl had never taken care of anyone like this before and was worried he would do it wrong, but once again Rick’s moans and squirming body showed him  
that Rick was enjoying it.

He pushed his finger in, knuckle deep and moved it around. “More,” Rick said breathlessly. “I need more, Daryl. I need your cock.”

“You ain’t ready yet,” he replied.

“That’s never mattered before,” Rick said.

“It matters now. If we love each other, it ain’t gonna be like that no more. It’s gonna be good; I don’t want to hurt you.”

“It won’t hurt, Daryl. I just need you now.”

Daryl nodded and removed his finger. “Alright then,” he said and lined himself up with Rick’s hole. He pushed in slowly, keeping an eye on Rick's face; the way it contorted with pain and then pleasure. Daryl savored the slow push and pull, and he grew harder with each thrust.

“I love how fucking tight you are,” he told Rick. “Never felt anything this good in my whole life, Rick. I don’t think I’m gonna last too long.”

“Don’t care,” Rick answered. “Just fuck me. We can take our time tonight; make it last.”

This was gonna happen again. Yes, Rick said he loved him, but Daryl’s mind didn’t associate that with a lasting relationship. The acknowledgment that Rick wanted him again tonight, filled his heart and his hips moved faster.

Daryl leaned forward and placed hungry kisses on Rick’s chest; spending time at his nipples, licking and sucking each one. The men moaned together, and Rick’s fingers wound through Daryl’s dirty hair. His hard cock rubbed against both their stomachs and the added stimulation brought Rick closer to orgasm.

Daryl held the back of Rick’s neck and pulled him up, taking the man’s mouth with his own. His other hand pumped Rick’s cock in time with his gradually accelerating thrusts. They were panting and moaning; sweat dripped from their skin and glued their bodies together.

“I’m gonna cum, Rick,” Daryl cried. 

“Me too,” Rick admitted. “Make me cum, please.”

Daryl’s mouth latched onto Rock’s neck and his teeth scraped lightly against the skin. When their orgasms hit them, they came together; Rick’s splashing all over Daryl’s hand and both their stomachs. Daryl rode out his orgasm with his teeth deep in the skin of Rick’s neck causing the man to cry out as his body finally began to still.

Daryl licked the spot where his teeth had broken skin and his arms went around Rick to hold him close. “I love you so much,” he mumbled as he rested his forehead on Rick’s shoulder.

Rick’s arms held Daryl tightly and his hands ran up and down the man’s back soothing him. “I love you too, Daryl. Don’t ever want to be without you.”

They held each other until Daryl’s softening cock slipped out of Rick’s hole. Daryl stepped back and kissed Rick one more time before gathering their clothes and getting dressed. 

“You mean it when you said you want to be with me again tonight?” He asked as he buttoned his shirt. Rick fastened his belt and invaded   
Daryl’s personal space.

“I meant everything I said, Daryl. I can’t imagine us not being together; we’ve always been together, this is just a new chapter for us. I love you and I want us to lead these people together. You’re the one that keeps me tethered to this world; I can’t lose you.”

“You ain’t gonna lose me. I’ve always been here and I ain’t going nowhere. I love you too.”

Once they were fully dressed, they walked to the door. “We’re going to talk to them, together. I want you to explain the plan. They believe in you and trust you; I want you to see that. They love you too.”

Daryl realized then that he needed Rick in the same way Rick had needed him. He had spent most of his life moving from place to place; his brother the only real human contact he had. Merle had filled his mind with horrible ideas about himself, things he believed because no one had ever told him any different. 

“I know they do, it’s just hard for me to believe. Ain’t nobody ever loved me before.”

“I’m gonna make you believe it,” Rick told him and kissed Daryl sweetly. “Let’s go tell everybody the plan.”

They walked down the corridor holding hands, confident that they would defeat the Governor, together.


End file.
